Cameron hosts Hanukkah reception

January 14, 2015

The coming year will bring one of the most important General Election campaigns in recent history, with no party predicted to get a majority and parties like UKIP, the Greens, and the SNP expected to surge and hold the balance of power.

Instead of keeping the religious holiday free from politics, Cameron launched into a tirade comparing Palestinian resistance movements to terrorists who had killed scores of Pakistani school children in Peshawar earlier in the month.

In stark contrast, his speech at this year’s Eid Al Adha reception steered clear of any political statements and did not mention the summer conflict in Gaza, which killed more than 2000 Palestinians, many of them children like those in Peshawar.

The disparity will no doubt anger many objective people, but that is where the story ends for a sizeable proportion. Many of those concerned fail to see the link between choosing to vote and the candidates they vote for, and their lack of say in the political process.

By voting, and making it clear that we are voting on principles that matter to us, and not family or party loyalty, we will make sure our voices do not go ignored by those who claim to represent us.

The new year will mark the start of a busy campaign for YouElect, which we hope will mark a turning point in Muslim civic engagement.